Damian Ricardo Flores, 28, alleged to have been the last shooter on Yvonne Stern's life, is flanked by his attorneys. Flores is accused of being the gunman who walked up to Stern and shot her in the abdomen outside an apartment at 4550 Braeswood. Oct. 27, 2011 in Houston. (Eric Kayne/For the Chronicle) (Eric Kayne / For the Houston Chronicle) less

Damian Ricardo Flores, 28, alleged to have been the last shooter on Yvonne Stern's life, is flanked by his attorneys. Flores is accused of being the gunman who walked up to Stern and shot her in the abdomen ... more

Image 9 of 12

Richard Andrew Gutierrez, 32, (date of birth 9/17/77), is charged with solicitation of capital murder, but remains at large. He is the person accused of shooting Bellaire socialite Yvonne Stern (wife of attorney Jeffrey Stern) in the stomach in a murder-for-hire plot. Houston police are now searching for him. His mugshot comes from HPD. less

Richard Andrew Gutierrez, 32, (date of birth 9/17/77), is charged with solicitation of capital murder, but remains at large. He is the person accused of shooting Bellaire socialite Yvonne Stern (wife of ... more

Photo: handout

Image 10 of 12

Evidence presented during the trial of Damian Ricardo Flores, 28, alleged to have been the last shooter on Yvonne Stern's life. (Eric Kayne / For the Houston Chronicle)

Evidence presented during the trial of Damian Ricardo Flores, 28, alleged to have been the last shooter on Yvonne Stern's life. (Eric Kayne / For the Houston Chronicle)

Image 11 of 12

Jeffrey Stern is the sixth person to be indicted for involvement in an alleged conspiracy to kill Yvonne Stern, who was wounded in the third attempt on her life on May 5. (Eric Kayne / For the Chronicle)

Jeffrey Stern is the sixth person to be indicted for involvement in an alleged conspiracy to kill Yvonne Stern, who was wounded in the third attempt on her life on May 5. (Eric Kayne / For the Chronicle)

Image 12 of 12

Lawyer in murder-for-hire case: Ex-mistress is trying to have me killed

1 / 12

Back to Gallery

The defense attorney for Jeffrey Stern, the Bellaire lawyer accused of masterminding three failed murder-for-hire plots on his wife, says a new jailhouse letter confirms that his former mistress, Michelle Gaiser, now is trying to have him killed.

Stern is accused of having Gaiser hire hit men who botched the murder-for-hire attempts on his wife, Yvonne Stern. She is expected to testify at his trial that she does not believe her husband was involved in the plot to kill her.

At a news conference Tuesday morning, defense lawyer Paul Nugent read excerpts from a newly discovered four-page letter purportedly written by Gaiser that puts out a hit on Jeffrey Stern.

Nugent claims the FBI has investigated and has verified that the letter is valid.

The Sterns and their son attended the press conference but were not expected to speak to reporters.

According to Nugent, the Sterns have been afraid for their lives since learning about the letter about a month ago.

Nugent also claimed that Gaiser made numerous phone calls trying to arrange the hit on Jeffrey Stern. She has not been charged in connection with these latest allegations and the Harris County District Attorney's Office has not dismissed charges against Jeffrey Stern, who is set to go to trial next month.

The Sterns and their lawyer contacted the media because they say they have not been offered any police protection following the latest threats of violence. Jeffrey Stern has been told that he can't be protected because he is charged in the hits on his wife, his lawyer said.